Two men have been arrested following a violent altercation at a David Lloyd health club in Merseyside, an incident that police have described as 'shocking' given that children were present at the time.
Merseyside Police confirmed that officers were dispatched to the gym on Knowsley Industrial Estate, located on Arbour Lane, at approximately 6:10 pm yesterday after receiving reports of a physical confrontation between two individuals.
Upon arrival, authorities apprehended a 46-year-old man from Brighton-le-Sands and a 53-year-old man from Netherley, both of whom were subsequently arrested on suspicion of affray. They were transported to local police stations for questioning.
Video footage widely circulated on social media appears to capture the altercation taking place within the men's changing area of the facility. A witness recounted to the Liverpool Echo that gym staff were summoned via the public address system to the changing rooms following the disturbance.
One clip shows a man being escorted away by officers after a patrol car arrived at the premises. Merseyside Police acknowledged awareness of the 'social media video of the incident' and appealed to the public to refrain from commenting on such platforms to avoid impeding the investigation.
Detective Inspector Edward Barr expressed dismay over the event, highlighting that children were among the gym's patrons during the fight. 'This would have been a shocking incident to witness, carried out in full view of members of the public nearby, including children,' he stated. 'We are gathering all available evidence and want to speak to anyone who saw what happened, or has since received information. Two men are in custody and we are working hard to establish the timeline of this incident.'
Authorities urge anyone with information to contact Merseyside Police via their social media desk on X or Facebook @MerPolCC. Alternatively, reports can be submitted through the force's website at https://www.merseyside.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime/ or by calling 101, quoting incident reference 26000332326.
For those wishing to remain anonymous, information can be provided to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via their website at https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/forms/give-information-anonymously.
